Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Delays are only half the story on DFW–IAH: 3% of its scheduled flights were outright cancelled, well above the US norm, so a backup plan matters more here than on most routes. When flights do go, 71% land on time, below the national average of 78%. Spirit Airlines has been the safer pick, arriving on time 83% of the time.
- On-time
- 71%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 24 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 3.0%
- Flights/day
- 16
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 224 mi
Best airline from DFW to IAH
6 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 83% | 13 min | 1.0% | 192 |
| Envoy Air | 80% | 13 min | 3.8% | 1,638 |
| United Airlines | 77% | 21 min | 2.0% | 4,251 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 77% | 22 min | 3.5% | 202 |
| Frontier Airlines | 64% | 25 min | 4.6% | 388 |
| American Airlines | 62% | 31 min | 3.5% | 5,304 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DFW to IAH
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 69% | 28 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 75% | 22 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 21 min |
| Thursday | 71% | 23 min |
| Friday | 70% | 22 min |
| Saturday | 71% | 26 min |
| Sunday | 67% | 28 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft46%
- Airline operations26%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DFW to IAH delayed?
- 29% of DFW–IAH flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 24 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DFW to IAH?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 192 flights. 6 airlines flew DFW–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DFW to IAH?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DFW to IAH?
- The scheduled DFW–IAH flight time averages 1h 16m over 224 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
- How often are DFW to IAH flights cancelled?
- 3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
- What is the worst month to fly from DFW to IAH?
- June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 58% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from DFW
Other ways to fly to Houston (IAH)
Related guides
Based on 11,988 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.